Jeff Withey

Here's what you need to know about Thursday's NBA draft: Nerlens Noel averaged 10.5 points as a Kentucky freshman until his season ended early because of a serious knee injury. Now he's the likely No. 1 pick. Noel still can't jump because of surgery for a torn ligament and might not even play until two months into the NBA season. But he can block shots and rebound and . . . what else exactly? If he turns out to be a solid pro, his delayed NBA debut is a small price for a team to pay over the four-year run of his rookie contract. But the Noel case is indicative of one of the weakest drafts in recent memory. This certainly isn't 2003, when LeBron James, Carmelo...

Related "Jeff Withey" Articles

Here's what you need to know about Thursday's NBA draft: Nerlens Noel averaged 10.5 points as a Kentucky freshman until his season ended early because of a serious knee injury.
Now he's the likely No. 1 pick.
Noel still can't jump because of surgery for...